The Functions of Criticism: A Lecture Delivered Before the University, on February 22, 1909 (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from The Functions of Criticism: A Lecture Delivered Before the University, on February 22, 1909 A New interest has been shown of recent years in the aims and methods of criticism. At a time when it may be said that the history of our literature is being rewritten, criticism has also enlarged its field by examining its own habits and tracing their growth. It seems to have been awakened by its vigour to a sense of its dignity, it has even claimed that the changes in taste may be read in its progress as well as in the progress of poesy. Only fifteen years ago the student of English criticism might experience the pleasures and the perils of the first adventurer. He had little to guide him - certainly little that had been produced in this country. Now we have a long and learned history from the earliest texts to the present day, and the press of this University is making the first collection of documents representing its main forms. On reviewing this progress we are prompted to search for the common functions underlying the great variety of expression. But the same inquiry is suggested by what is written now. There are obvious distinctions in the work of all our leading critics. If they have not different conceptions of their duties, they have at least different ways of fulfilling them. Some have the gift of writing as if there was only one way in which for the time they could express themselves, they appear never to have thought whether they approach their subject in an old or a new manner. Others are greatly interested in their method and are proud to proclaim its novelty. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.